Software containers are execution frameworks that support independent execution of applications on top of a single operating system. Software containers can provide significant execution efficiencies, relative to traditional virtualization layers, while still isolating applications and promoting dynamic scaling. A first application executing in a first container is separated from and unaware of a second application executing in a second container on the same host computer. Software containers may be provided as an operating system construct or object. Said in another way, software containers may be created and applications launched for execution in the software containers through application programming interface (API) calls or system calls to the operating system on a host computer.